Sharing Dreams Of The Holidays
"Sharing Dreams Of The Holidays" is a mini-story that is part of the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series. The Story The story takes place in the year of Empath's return to Psychelia following his first visit to the Smurf Village. At that point he was bonded together with Polaris Psyche as his lifemate, and the two started sharing dreams with each other, with Polaris learning more about the Smurfs through Empath's memories of his being in the Smurf Village for a year. Polaris found the whole experience interestingly curious and yet also frightening at the same time, for the Psyche Master was teaching the Psychelings that Species 0002 (as the Smurfs were commonly known as to them) were a perverted race of savages who were mainly interested in carnal desires. Then came the time of the Winter Solstice, and all throughout the day things were the same as usual in Psychelia -- the Psyches spent most of their time in silent studies and preparing for the long winter ahead. Empath, who was originally used to how everything in Psychelia was dead silent day after day before he visited the Smurf Village, was now feeling a desire to visit that place again if only to recapture the joy of what it felt like being around people who were not afraid to express their emotions. At night, when all the Psyches returned to their quarters for their resting period, Empath and Polaris silently returned to their bunks and went to sleep. Before they did, however, they cast eyes toward each other, and Polaris knew in that instant that Empath wanted to show him something very important in their shared dream state. The instant that Empath and Polaris had entered deep sleep, Polaris found himself inside a Smurf house, dressed as usual in his long white nightgown. Empath was beside him, also dressed in a long white nightgown and a white Smurf hat, looking very excited. "Empath, what's going on that you need to show this one?" Polaris asked, sounding curious. "This is a very special holiday that this one needs to share with you, called the Winter Solstice," Empath replied. "Come join the others outside in the village square." Polaris got out of bed, put on a pair of slippers that were waiting right next to him on the floor, and joined Empath as they both left the Smurf house together. The other Smurfs were also gathered together in the village square, where before them stood a great big evergreen tree, decorated with all sorts of lights and ornaments with a great big star at the top, and underneath the tree were all sorts of presents wrapped in red and green boxes. Papa Smurf came out of his house to join his little Smurfs at the great big tree that stood in the square. "Happy Winter Solstice, my little Smurfs," he announced. "Happy Winter Solstice to you too, Papa Smurf," all the little Smurfs said together. "Now everybody calm down and relax," Papa Smurf said. "I know how eager you are in wanting to smurf open your presents this year, but we will smurf this in an orderly fashion. When I smurf your name, each of you will smurf your present from the tree and open it. Is that understood?" "Yes, Papa Smurf," all the Smurfs said together. As Papa Smurf went through each name of the Smurfs starting with those that began with the letter A, Tapper and Duncan McSmurf both joined Empath and Polaris. "Smurf o' the morning to you, Empath and Polaris," Tapper greeted. "It's so nice for you two to join us on this smurfy celebration that happens only once a year." "Aye, I can't wait to be smurfing what I'm going to smurf for a Winter Solstice present, laddies," Duncan said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Is this the whole point of the holiday, to receive presents from your village leader, Empath?" Polaris asked. "There's more that will take place on this special day besides getting presents, Polaris," Empath answered. "But this part is usually the most exciting part that every Smurf is eager to participate in, since they do not know what they will receive as a Winter Solstice present." "It is unfortunate that they do not have a minds-eye so that they can sense in advance what they will be receiving as a present when they open it to find out," Polaris said, watching as each Smurf opened up their present and found out for themselves. "That would just simply spoil the surprise, my friends," Tapper said, overhearing the conversation. "Besides, it's usually more fun to just be surprised at what you might be smurfing as a Winter Solstice present." "Not that all gifts are really what I would be expecting at all, but what matters most is that we appreciate the thought of being smurfed a present," Duncan added. When Papa Smurf had gone through all the names of the Smurfs, he then said, "And to our visitor of our village, Polaris Psyche, we smurf you this present," while producing the very item in question and handing it to Polaris. "This one feels honored that you would give this one a present, Papa Smurf," Polaris said, finding himself at a complete loss for what to say. "Well, smurf ahead and open it, my friend," Tapper prompted. Polaris opened the present, and found that there was a colorful scarf and mittens. "Tailor knits these every year for every Smurf, Polaris," Empath said. "They should be the right size for you to wear." "But this one does not see the point of having to wear these if we are inside a dream space together," Polaris said, sounding a bit confused. "Oh, just smurf it on for us, laddie," Duncan said. "Let us see how you smurf wearing them." Empath helped Polaris put on the scarf while he put the mittens on his hands. Polaris felt a bit strange wearing these kind of clothes even in the dream space where the temperature is not an issue with either him or Empath, but he did his best to not make a big fuss about it. "Great Smurfiny Crickets, my fellow Polaris, you do indeed look smurfy for the winter season," Tapper said as he saw Polaris wearing the scarf and mittens. "This one is honored to know that you appreciate how this one appears wearing these clothes, fellow Tapper," Polaris responded. "Come on, let's dress ourselves a little warmer so we can join the Smurfs in what they call 'holiday fun' outside in the winter weather," Empath said as he led Polaris back into the house they had come out of. "We'll be smurfing for you out here, laddies," Duncan said as he watched the two rush away from the Winter Solstice tree. ----- Soon Empath and Polaris joined the other Smurfs again outside, this time the both of them wearing black bodysuits similar to the ones they wore in Psychelia. "This one does not understand why the Smurfs would wear nothing more than a scarf and gloves to keep themselves warm during the winter season, Empath," Polaris said as he watched the Smurfs play in the snow outside. "That's because a Smurf's body is able to adjust to various temperature changes to keep them from either being too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, Polaris," Empath answered. "This one didn't understand it at first until this one actually tried going outside in this kind of weather wearing only a hat and pants." "That makes this one feel rather unnerved in their presence, knowing that they would willingly expose themselves regardless of the weather," Polaris said with some honest feeling. "That is something you'll get used to the more time we spend together in this kind of dream space, Polaris," Empath said. The two Smurfs passed by Greedy and a few other Smurfs assembling a snow Smurf figure by rolling up big balls of snow and shaping it in the form of a Smurf. "Hey, Empath, what do you and Polaris think of the snow Smurf that we're smurfing together?" Greedy asked. "This one thinks that it will be the best snow Smurf that you have assembled, Greedy," Empath said. "As long as you don't eat the parts of his face and body, you'll be all set." "Well, I still think that I can assemble a much better smurfing snow Smurf than this, Greedy," Brainy said. "As a master of smurfing together snow sculptures, I can assure you that you're smurfing some things all wrong with your creation, and besides that..." "Hey, Brainy, catch this!" Jokey shouted, throwing a snowball straight at him. "That's not funny, Jokey," Brainy scolded after wiping the snow off his face. "I'm going to tell Papa Smurf on you when he finds out that..." Soon Brainy got pelted on all sides by snowballs thrown at him by various Smurfs. "PAPA SMURF!" Brainy cried out as he ran away upset. "This one does not get why the other Smurfs would attack Brainy with snowballs, Empath," Polaris said. "Brainy is usually annoying his fellow Smurfs with his constant sermons on morality and his intelligence, Polaris," Empath said. "It also doesn't help that he is the youngest of all the Smurfs born of that generation while Hefty is the oldest, so he gets teased a lot." "This one would assume that you did not get involved in the same behavior that your fellow Smurfs have exhibited toward this Brainy, Empath," Polaris said. "Of course not, Polaris," Empath said. "This one for the most part acted as the Psyche Master would expect of this one during the entire duration of the visit." Then Empath and Polaris saw Duncan and a bunch of Smurfs grabbing sleds and heading for the snowy hills around the village. "Come, laddie, join us in a bit of snow smurfing," Duncan invited. Empath and Polaris watched as the Smurfs went sledding down the same hill again and again. "Does not this exercise become tedious over the course of time, Empath?" Polaris asked. "The Smurfs will eventually tire themselves out, Polaris, but for now it's the most excitement they will have on this particular day, besides the opening of the presents before that," Empath said. Then Empath and Polaris saw a few Smurfs laying on their backs, waving their arms up and down and moving their legs in and out on the snow. "What are those Smurfs doing?" Polaris asked. "Those Smurfs are creating snow angels, Polaris," Empath said. "Come, let's do the same thing while we're here." "Just lie there on the snow and risk getting cold?" Polaris asked, sounding very uncertain. "This is all a dream, Polaris...you can't catch cold or get wet when you're in here," Empath said, flopping down onto the snow on his back. Polaris reluctantly did the same. He flopped down onto the snow on his back and mimicked the same arm and leg movements as he saw the Smurfs do in the snow. Then Empath and Polaris both got up and saw the snow angels they have made together. "Not bad for your first time, Polaris," Empath commented. "I hate making snow angels," Grouchy said as he passed by the two of them and saw what they did. ----- After some hours have passed, the Smurfs have all entered into the dining hall where a great feast has been prepared for them by Culinary and the kitchen staff. Everyone seemed eager to get started eating, but before the food was served, Papa Smurf announced that he would do the blessings for the meal. "Mother Nature, we as creatures in this forest humbly thank you for the wonderful bounty that you have smurfed for all of us, for nothing in the forest can survive without your provision, and we ask that you will continue to provide for us everything that we need to live in our everyday smurfy lives that will honor the gifts that you smurf upon us. And in this, so let it be." "So let it be," all the Smurfs said together before the meal was served. On every Smurf's plate there was a serving of a dish called the cornucopia, along with the side dishes of vegetables and potatoes with gravy. "Mmmm-mmmm," Nabby said as he dove right into his plate and started eating heartily. "This is indeed the best Winter Solstice dinner that I have ever smurfed, if I have to smurf so myself," Brainy said. Empath and Polaris also ate of the same food, which to Polaris was a new experience since he never tasted anything that actually had a flavor before, although it was also strange to him that both he and Empath were eating a meal that only took place within a dream state. "So how do you like the Winter Solstice celebration so far, Polaris?" Empath asked. "This one finds the whole thing an interesting curiosity, Empath, especially for a group of people that the Psyche Master forbids us to have any interaction with," Polaris answered. "This one is appreciative of your attending this celebration, although it makes this one desire attending the actual event in person even more so now that this one is no longer in the Smurf Village at this time," Empath said. "This one appreciates your desire to share this event with this one despite your current situation, Empath," Polaris said. Then both Empath and Polaris felt something. "It seems that our dream space must come to an end, for our time to awaken is approaching," Empath said as his eyes began to close. "We will return to this dream space when it is our time to rest again, Empath," Polaris said as his eyes also began to close. Then at the next moment, their eyes opened and they found themselves back in Psychelia wearing only their standard bodysuits with their wrist and ankle cuffs. The both of them briefly looked at each other and understood what they were thinking before they joined the other Psyches together in their daily meal and morning prayer. Category:Empath the Luckiest Smurf stories Category:Mini-stories Category:VicGeorge2K9's articles Category:December holidays stories Category:Empath's past stories